Aristotle’s Conception of Ontology

573 Pages·1975·24.949 MB·English

by  Leszl, Walter

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STUDIA ARISTOTELICA
7
ARISTOTLE'S CONCEPTION
OF ONTOLOGY
by
WALTER LESZL
EDITRICE ANTENORE · PADOVA
MCMLXXV

Το H.

CONTENTS
Preface 1
INTRODUCTION: The approach to the writings of the Meta-
physics. 9 ν
PART I. Is there a conception of ontology in Aristotle?
1. The traditional approach to the problem. 21
2. The accounts normally given of the tasks distinctive of
ontology. 32
3. Aristotle's ontology in a historical perspective. 48
PART II. The scope of the sciences and of dialectic.
1. Aristotle's account of science in the An. Post. 63
2. "There is one science of many things". 79
3. Dialectic. 86
PART III. The interpretation of Metaphysics A and B.
1. The interpretation of Metaphysics A. 101
2. Role and organization of the book of aporiai. 117
PART IV. General remarks on ontology as the science of being
qua being, of its properties and of its principles.
1. The meaning of the expression "being qua being" as describ-
ing the subject matter of ontology. 145
2. What is the being which is said to be taken qua being? 168
3. Is the universality of the science of being qua being in-
trinsic or consequential? 176
4. The principles of being qua being. 190
5. The properties of being qua being. 208
6. Being qua being and the senses of being simpliciter. 212
ix
PAKT V. Aristotle's description of ontology in Metaphysics Γ:
interpretation of the texts.
1. The interpretation of Metaphysics Γ 1. 219
2. Focal meaning in Metaphysics Γ 2. 228
3. Forms of being and of one in Metaphysics Γ 2. 236
4. The interpretation of Metaphysics Γ 2, 1004a2-9. 252
5. The interpretation of the remaining part of Metaphysics Γ 2. 266
6. The "reduction" of entities to oneness and to manyness. 282
7. Dialectic and ontology in Metaphysics Γ 2. 293
8. The science of being qua being and the treatment of the
principle of contradiction (Metaphysics Γ 3-8) 301
PART VI. Aristotle's description of ontology in Metaphysics Γ:
difficulties.
1. Limitations of the conceptual schemata underlying Aristotle's
account of the science of being qua being in Metaphysics Γ. 311
.2. Some problems arising from the treatment of Metaphysics Γ. 321
IPART VII. Ontology as the treatment of the existence and mode of
being of entities.
1. The science of being qua being in Metaphysics El. 331
2. A survey of ontological contributions to the establishment
of the existence and mode of being of certain fundamental
types of entities. 347
a) The treatment of entities with a claim to substantiality. 347
b) The treatment of universels. 359
c) The treatment of the categories. 365
d) Treatment of the status of other types of entity. 377
e) Conclusion and retrospect. 378
"PART VIII. Ontology: scope and structure.
1. The scope of ontology. 383
.2. Articulations of the ontological inquiry. 395
.3. Structure and procedure of ontology. 404
a) Ontology versus the particular sciences. 404
χ
4
b) Confirmation of the non-causal character of ontology. 416
c) Some other characteristics of the investigation pursued
by ontology. 420
d) Ontology and the adoption of an ontological system. 424
4. Actual instances of ontological inquiry in Aristotle. 430
5. Objections to this sort of account of ontology. 442
PART IX. Ontology in some other writings: Claims and actual
procedures.
1. Ontology in Metaphysics Z. 451
.2. Ontology in Metaphysics M and Ν and Λ. 480
3. Ontology in the Physics. 494
PART X. Confirmation and conclusion.
1. Ontology and theology. 527
2. Conclusive remarks. 540
APPENDIX I: On the authenticity of Metaphysics K. 549
APPENDIX II: On the Categoriae. 553
INDEX OF PROPER NAMES 557
XI